Mansour Saadouninejad; Morteza Almassi; mohammad ghahderijani
Abstract
This study was conducted in order to investigate the factors of sugarcane production (inputs: physical-consumption) and optimization of energy consumption for sugarcane production using a data envelopment analysis in Khuzestan province, Amirkabir Agro-industrial Company Unit. The necessary information ...
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This study was conducted in order to investigate the factors of sugarcane production (inputs: physical-consumption) and optimization of energy consumption for sugarcane production using a data envelopment analysis in Khuzestan province, Amirkabir Agro-industrial Company Unit. The necessary information to conduct this study was collected from Agro-industrial of sugarcane Amirkabir experts through face-to-face interviews and questionnaire completion. According to the results, of the total energy consumed in production, the energy of cuttings and chemical fertilizers had the largest share among the consumed inputs with 59 and 16 (%), respectively. Biocides 3.15 (%), agricultural machines 1.09 (%) and human labor 0.06 (%) were the least energy-consuming inputs among other sugarcane production inputs. According to the results obtained from this research, it was found that two inputs sugarcane cuttings and chemical fertilizer have the highest amount of consumption among all the inputs for production. Also, the results of data coverage analysis showed that nitrogen fertilizer and human labor had the largest share of stored energy with 42 and 60.31 (%). The lowest share of energy stored in production belonged to chemical pesticides and phosphorus fertilizer, respectively. The results showed that reducing the consumption of chemical fertilizers and diesel fuel is important for energy storage and reducing the problem of environmental risk in the region. Saving in diesel fuel is possible by improving the performance of the irrigation pump and using new tractors and soil analysis to improve the use of chemical fertilizers.
Neda Mansouri; hassan zaki dizaji; Mohammad Javad Sheikhdavoodi; Abbas Asakereh
Abstract
Sugarcane, a perennial plant, has been cultivated in Khuzestan province, Iran, for a long time. Sugarcane seeds and stems (whole stalk or billet), both, are used for propagation, but stems planting is primary method of cultivation for sugar production purposes. Costs of sugarcane planting in Khuzestan ...
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Sugarcane, a perennial plant, has been cultivated in Khuzestan province, Iran, for a long time. Sugarcane seeds and stems (whole stalk or billet), both, are used for propagation, but stems planting is primary method of cultivation for sugar production purposes. Costs of sugarcane planting in Khuzestan differ when different planting methods are practiced. This study was conducted to find out proper planting methods for Khuzestan’s conditions. To achieve the aims, various parameters were checked, then influencing variables were determined; experiments were carried out in Hakim agro-industrial farms, in 2016 . The following topics were considered: costs indices, billet burial quality, factors affecting field capacity, numbers of tractor coming and going on the farms, and finally ergonomic issues. Indicators were summarized as much as possible by merging into each other or turning. Factors weighting were done, using expert discretions and AHP to indicate the importance of each indicator. Integration of relative weights by multiplying the relative weight of each indicator on the above parameters was carried out and also consistency index was calculated by ratio of incompatibility and random index. In next step, by selecting factors and AHP, three planting methods were compered using Expert Choice software: conventional manual method, semi-mechanized planting method (by cutter planter), and mechanized planting method (by automatic billet planter). Results showed that semi-mechanized planting method was optimal method due to minimum costs and maximum quality achieved in billet burial practice. Manual planting, in spite of achieving optimal way of planting compared with mechanized planting, received low advantages because of increasing in planting expenses.
fatemeh afsharnia; Afshin Marzban
Abstract
Different reasons can be listed to explain long delays in milling of the harvested sugarcane in sugarcane agroindustry units: factory's downtime, failures of tractors in waiting line, accident due to crowd of tractors in yard, and shift change that creates quite long queues. To understand the dimensions ...
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Different reasons can be listed to explain long delays in milling of the harvested sugarcane in sugarcane agroindustry units: factory's downtime, failures of tractors in waiting line, accident due to crowd of tractors in yard, and shift change that creates quite long queues. To understand the dimensions of this problem, queuing theory was used in the basis of (1) to obtain a supply of sugarcane queuing system (2) to obtain a proper queuing system in the supply of sugarcane (3) to obtain a minimal cost to the queuing system in the supply of sugarcane. The research was carried out in an agroindustrial sugarcane in Khuzestan province. The required data related to arrival and service times of tractors were collected in 2016. Data analysis were performed according to the queuing models in the agroindustry unit. Based on preliminary observations, queuing system of agroindustry unit was a single channel model with one server, so this study was carried out by M/M/1 model. The results showed that average waiting time of queuing system with a single channel in servicing was 2 hours and 6 minutes, so in 60% of cases, the queue length will be longer than what servicing can respond. Calculations indicated that the costs could be minimized by increasing service levels up to 7.3%. The long queue in the queuing system can be improved by increasing service levels including: following preventive maintenance rather than corrective maintenance, using hidden factory, using spare parts, and expanding area for waiting line, accordingly
